Specialised training for rural and wildlife crime officers

On Thursday 15 May, a group of officers joined the Angling Trust for the session where they enhanced their knowledge on the world of angling-related crime, focusing on illegal fishing, fish theft and invasive species.

Speaking about the initiative Juliet Webber, Nottinghamshire Police’s rural and wildlife crime partnerships manager, said: “We’re working with farmers and residents to ensure we’re tackling their concerns and to hear what we can do as their local police team to clamp down on rural crime.

“It’s also important for our rural crime and wildlife officers to make connections with partner agencies and build a network of support as we harbour a strong team spirit across all of our rural districts.”

The event was hosted at Muskham Lakes near Newark and the group also heard about previous criminal and civil cases involving illegal fishing activities that resulted in successful sentencings against offenders.

Illegal fishing is an area of increasing focus for rural crime and wildlife officers, as it poses a serious risk of spreading fish diseases and invasive species, and can encourage wider organised crime in the process.

This training follows on from the reinvigoration of the force’s Horse Watch scheme, as police continue to enhance their rural knowledge through sessions and make sure communities feel seen and heard.

Families, farmers, and members of Nottinghamshire’s rural community are also invited to attend an event at Rufford Abbey Country Park on Saturday 28 June to tackle rural and wildlife crime.